1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a device for the continuous unloading of mined material from a bidirectional shuttlecar and, more particularly, to a device for the continuous unloading of mined material from the elongated conveyor on a hi-directional shuttlecar onto a conveyor while the shuttlecar continuously moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the elongated conveyor on the shuttlecar is moving at a rate of speed which is substantially the same as the rate of speed of the elongated conveyor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well-known to transport mined material from a mine face to a location remote from the mine face by means of multisection elongated mobile conveyors; mobile haulage vehicles; and rail cars connected in a multicar train. The prior art mobile transfer vehicles for transporting mined material move from the mine face to the discharge location and stop to unload the mined material onto a conveyor or into a large funnel-like hopper of a feeder breaker. The speed at which the mined material is unloaded from a stationary mobile transfer vehicle is dictated by the linear speed of the mine conveyor onto which the mined material is unloaded or by the volume of the hopper which receives the mined material and the capacity of the feeder breaker to process the mined material supplied to the hopper. The unloading speed of the haulage vehicle must also be controlled to avoid excessive spillage of the mined material and jamming of either the mine conveyor or the feeder breaker which receives the mined material.